Cable end connector assembly having locking member

Abstract

A cable end connector assembly ( 1 ) includes an insulative housing ( 12 ), a number of contacts ( 130 ) received in the insulative housing, a spacer ( 13 ) mounted to a rear end of the insulative housing, a cable ( 14 ) including a number of conductors ( 140, 142 ) electrically connecting with corresponding contacts, a cover ( 15 ) over-molded with the insulative housing and the cable, and a locking member ( 16 ). The housing forms a pair of wing portions ( 129 ) extending rearwardly therefrom. The cover defines a pair of passages ( 151 ) to receive the wing portions. The locking member includes a retaining portion ( 160 ) secured with the insulative housing, a pressing portion ( 162 ) engaged with the pair of wing portions, a pressing portion ( 163 ) engaged with the cover and a pair of latch sections ( 1610 ) located close to the retaining portion. The pressing portion moves downwardly and becomes curve toward the cover under a pressing force and creates a vertical displacement to the latch sections.

1. A cable end connector assembly for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:
 an insulative housing comprising a pair of wing portions extending along a front-to-rear direction from a rear end thereof;  
 a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing;  
 a cable comprising a plurality of conductors electrically connecting with corresponding contacts;  
 a cover enclosing the rear end of the insulative housing and defining a pair of passages, said wing portions of the insulative housing respectively received in the passages; and  
 a locking member comprising at a front end thereof a retaining portion secured with the insulative housing, a supporting portion at a rear end thereof engaged with the cover, a pressing portion close to the supporting portion and respectively engaged with the pair of wing portions of the insulative housing, and at least one latch section located on the front end thereof close to the retaining portion and adapted for locking with the complementary connector, the pressing portion being movable along a direction perpendicular to said front-to-rear direction and curve toward the cover under a pressing force wherein the pressing portion of the locking member comprises a body section and a pair of side beams extending vertically from the body section, and wherein the wing portion of the insulative housing defines a cutout to receive the side beam of the locking member and allow the side beam a restricted up and down movement.  
 
   
   
     2. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the side beam forms a spring tab engaged in the cutout of the wing portion for preventing the pushing portion from escaping the cutout. 
   
   
     3. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover forms a pivot portion, and wherein the body section of the pressing portion moves toward the cover until contacting the pivot portion under the pressing force. 
   
   
     4. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover defines a depression at a rear end thereof, and wherein the supporting portion is located in the depression. 
   
   
     5. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the supporting portion extends downwardly and rearwardly from the body section of the pressing portion, and wherein the supporting portion forms a curved edge at a free end thereof and pressing on a bottom surface of the depression of the cover. 
   
   
     6. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the insulative housing defines a pair of grooves, and wherein the retaining portion of the locking member comprises a pair of bar sections extending from opposite ends thereof and received in the grooves. 
   
   
     7. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the locking member further comprises a locking portion including a first section extending rearwardly from the retaining portion and a second section formed between the first section and the pressing portion, and wherein the at least one latch section is formed on the first section. 
   
   
     8. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the second section extends upwardly and rearwardly from the first section and connects with the pressing portion. 
   
   
     9. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the insulative housing defines a slit receiving a middle portion of the retaining portion of the locking member. 
   
   
     10. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the insulative housing defines a first slot communicating with the slit, and wherein the locking member forms a positioning section extending forwardly from the middle portion of the retaining portion and being locked within the first slot. 
   
   
     11. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the insulative housing defines a second slot communicating with the slit, and wherein the locking member comprises a snap section extending rearwardly from the middle portion of the retaining portion and being locked within the second slot. 
   
   
     12. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body section of the pressing portion is formed with a plurality of ribs. 
   
   
     13. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cover is made of insulative material and is over-molded to the rear end of the insulative housing. 
   
   
     14. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the conductors of the cable comprise a pair of signal differential pair and a pair of grounding conductors arranged at opposite sides of the differential pair. 
   
   
     15. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer assembled to the rear end of the insulative housing for segregating tail portions of the contacts from the insulative housing. 
   
   
     16. The cable end connector assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the insulative housing defines an L-shaped receiving space in a front end thereof and adapted for mating with the complementary connector. 
   
   
     17. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
 an insulative housing defining at least one wing portion;  
 a cutout formed in the wing portion, said cutout extending along a front-to-back direction;  
 a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing;  
 a cable including a plurality of conductors electrically connected to the corresponding contacts, respectively;  
 a cover enclosing said housing and said cable; and  
 a locking member attached to at least one of said cover and said housing, said locking member defining a fixed point substantially immoveable to the said one of the cover and the housing, and one locking point moveable relative to the fixed point for locking a complementary connector, and a retention tab not only moveable relative to the fixed point but also restrictively moveable in said cutout in a vertical direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction, so that the locking member is able to be restrictively up and down moveable relative to the housing for engagement with or disengagement from the complementary connector wherein the cover defines a passage to allow the retention tab to pass and further enter the cutout during assembling.